MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, I propose that Gary Humphries be elected as Chief Minister for the Australian Capital Territory and I move:

That Mr Humphries be elected Chief Minister for the Territory.

MR SPEAKER: Are there any other proposals?

The time for proposals has expired. There being more than one candidate proposed for election as Chief Minister, we will proceed to a ballot. It is open to members to make a statement before the ballot if they so wish.

MR STANHOPE: I have no statement to make at this time, thank you, Mr Speaker.

MR HUMPHRIES: Nor do I, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: Thank you, members.

A ballot having been taken-

MRSPEAKER: The result of the ballot is: Mr Stanhope, 10 votes; Mr Humphries, seven votes. Therefore, Mr Stanhope, the candidate with the majority of votes of members present and voting, is declared elected as Chief Minister.

MR STANHOPE (Chief Minister): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

MR STANHOPE: Mr Speaker, I thank the Assembly for the honour it has bestowed on me today, and the Canberra community for the trust that it has shown in the Australian Labor Party. I acknowledge the enormous responsibility that the community and members of the Assembly have placed on me and on the Labor Party. I undertake to discharge that responsibility to the best of my ability.

I offer my congratulations to everyone who has been elected or re-elected to the Assembly. In particular, Mr Speaker, I offer my congratulations to you, not only on your re-election as a member for Ginninderra, the fifth time that you have been elected to the Assembly, but also on your election as Speaker. There is no-one, in my opinion, more qualified or capable of undertaking that role than yourself.

Mr Speaker, I have offered my congratulations to all members who have been elected. I am pleased to welcome back members from the Fourth Assembly who have been re-elected, and particularly my colleagues from the Labor caucus. I especially want to give a warm welcome to those members who are new to the Assembly: Katy Gallagher and Karin MacDonald from my party; Roslyn Dundas from the Democrats; and Helen Cross, Vicki Dunne and Steve Pratt from the Liberal Party. I look forward to working with each of them.